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Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla marks Diwali with breathtaking video of ‘nature’s fireworks’ from space
ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to reach the International Space Station and the second Indian in space.
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ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla marked the festive season by sharing a mesmerising video of Earth captured from space. He labelled the atmospheric lightning flashes captured in the video as "nature's very own fireworks."
“Diwali has always held a special place in my heart and has been my favourite festival for as long as I can remember. There is something about the magic of lights, the sparkle and the fireworks that fills me with a sense of wonder and joy,” Shubhanshu Shukla wrote on Instagram.
In the following lines, he talked about the video he posted showing twinkling lights on Earth’s surface. “While in space, I captured this video and couldn’t help noticing the flashes of lightning dancing across the Earth below. Looking down from space, they reminded me of nature’s very own fireworks — a beautiful, unexpected reminder that the universe has its own way of celebrating light.” Shukla, however, didn’t elaborate more on the lights that reminded him of “nature’s very own fireworks”.
Explaining why he posted the video ahead of Diwali, the astronaut shared, “It felt particularly special to come across this sight, and I couldn’t think of a more fitting day to share it. Wishing all my friends and their families a very Happy Dhanteras. May this festive season fill your homes and hearts with light, happiness, good health and prosperity.”
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS). He is also the second Indian to travel to space. He landed on the space station on June 26, 2025, as part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission. The mission was led by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson. The crew, which also included Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, spent two weeks on the ISS.
A festive view from orbit
This wasn’t the first time the astronaut shared a festive greeting involving a video from space. Last year on Diwali, he shared a video which captured India from space. In an October 20, 2025 Instagram post, he wrote, “The peninsula glows like a jewel. To the left, Pune sparkles; below, Bengaluru and Hyderabad shimmer like constellations drawn by human hands. And far on the horizon — a faint yet familiar gleam — New Delhi makes its presence known.”
He added, “Then come the purple flares — thunderstorms flashing through clouds, nature’s own pyrotechnics reminding you who the original artist of light truly is.”
Expressing how it was to watch Earth from space, the ISRO astronaut had shared, “Up there, watching this grand spectacle unfold, you can’t help but smile. This isn’t just Diwali on Earth — it’s Diwali of Earth. The festival of lights, written across an entire nation, glowing proudly on a cosmic stage.”
